1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to sanitation covers. More specifically, the present invention relates to methods and apparatus for a single-use, disposable sanitation cover comprised of a flexible-elastic, stretchable, transparent material impregnated with an anti-bacterial compound for enclosing any of a plurality of shared electronic remote control devices for minimizing the transfer of bacteria and viruses from one user to another user by providing a disposable, protective sanitation barrier to human infection.
2. Background Art
Electronic remote control devices are now commonly utilized in our society including, for example, remote control devices utilized in our respective residences for use with television, radio and entertainment systems, garage door openers, security alarm activation devices and the like. In addition, electronic remote control devices are also utilized in quasi-public domains such as hotels, motels, restaurants and social clubs generally frequented by members of the public. Those electronic remote control devices utilized in our residences are generally accessible to a limited number of persons, i.e., not the public-at-large. Thus, limiting who handles and utilizes these residential electronic remote control devices can be generally regulated. However, electronic remote control devices typically encountered in, for example, a hotel/motel room are handled by most all persons utilizing that particular hotel/motel room including domestic workers. Such common usage of, for example, a television remote control device found in a hotel/motel room provides an excellent vehicle for the transfer of bacteria and/or viruses from a first person handling the commonly-shared remote control device to a second or subsequent person.
Remote control devices are available in many different shapes and sizes. However, each includes an outer housing typically comprised of plastic and having, for example, a shape that can be rectangular, square, oblong or the like. Further, a typical remote control device includes a front surface and a rear surface where the front surface is characterized by a keypad exhibiting a plurality push buttons and the rear surface includes a compartment for housing a plurality of batteries. The interior of the outer housing includes a combination of electronic circuitry that generates the various radio frequency (RF) signals and/or infrared signals that are transmitted to the base or host appliance such as, for example, a television receiver. Thus, operation of select push buttons on the keypad located on the front surface of the remote control device generates a particular unique signal for causing the television receiver to perform a specific function such as, for example, change channels. The enclosed batteries are employed for providing electrical energy to power the electronic circuitry contained within the outer housing.
Protective coverings for electronic devices have been known in the past. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,273,252 to Mitchell teaches a protective covering for a handheld device comprising a resilient, water-impermeable bag having a continuous smooth upper surface. U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,713 to Huffer teaches a transparent remote control flexible envelope having a rectangular shape and at least one closing web and gripper means for attaching the envelope to an armrest of a chair. U.S. Pat. No. 6,082,535 to Mitchell discloses a protective covering for a cell phone or pager having a latex construction while U.S. Pat. No. 5,316,141 to Jalomo teaches a remote control cover comprised of flexible polyvinyl chloride (PVC) material for protecting the remote control from spills and water. U.S. Pat. No. 6,050,407 to Trujillo teaches a remote control cover having a transparent sheath construction for enabling the operation of a keypad housed within the sheath and for protection from dirt. Further, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,273,252 and 6,082,535 to Mitchell for a protective covering for a handheld device or a cell phone discloses a shrink wrap feature so that the protective covering fits all handheld devices or cell phones. U.S. Reissue Pat. No. 24,166 to Stiller (1956) teaches an elliptical, self-closing container having a slit on the top surface which functions as a change purse for carrying coins, keys and the like. Application of force to the two ends of the elliptical container causes the slit to open providing access to the interior of the container which is comprised of liquid plastic.
Additional prior art references include U.S. Pat. No. 6,471,056 to Tzeng which recites a portable electronic device protective cover having a loop-like plastic peripheral strip fitting the periphery of the electronic device to be protected, the loop-like periphery strip having an insertion slot through which the electronic device to be protected is inserted into the inside of the portable electronic device protective cover, a transparent plastic top panel peripherally sealed to the top side of the loop-like peripheral strip by a high frequency heat sealing apparatus, and a transparent plastic bottom panel peripherally sealed to the bottom side of the loop-like peripheral strip by a high frequency heat sealing apparatus. The Tzeng '056 reference specifically recites that the protective cover “ . . . fits perfectly the shape of the portable electronic device to be protected” and that “ . . . protective cover 3 is made subject to a mold 4, which is an open frame fitting the height and width of the remote-controller 2 to be protected.” Thus, the Tzeng '056 protective cover appears to be custom manufactured for each remote-controller 2 and not designed to conform to the shape of most any size remote-controller 2. Further, the Tzeng '056 protective cover is intended to protect the remote-controller 2 and not the user of the remote-controller 2. There is no mention in Tzeng '056 of providing a disposable, protective sanitation barrier to human infection or impregnation of the cover with an anti-bacterial compound. Tzeng '056 teaches assembling the components of the protective cover 3 with a high frequency heat sealing machine and cutting away excess material outside the seal area. The processes of high frequency heat sealing and cutting away excess material typically results in the formation of seams and thus would not appear to provide an integrally molded, seamless, unitary one-piece construction.
Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,852 to King for a Protective Cover For A Pager, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,634,494 to Derr et al. for Watertight Protective Device For Holding A Measuring Or Display Device are mentioned herein. King '852, Derr et al. '494 and Tzeng '056 each disclose devices that are intended to protect an electronic or measuring device, do not provide a sanitation barrier to human infection, do not disclose an impregnation of an anti-bacterial compound, and are not directed to single-use, seamless, disposable protective covers.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a cover for a remote control device that provides a protective barrier to human infection having front and rear members that are integrally molded in a seamless, unitary one-piece construction to form a single-use, disposable, protective enclosure, an orifice formed in and parallel to an oblong dimension of the rear member for enabling most any size remote control device which is one of a plurality of various sized remote control devices to be inserted into and removed from the single-use protective enclosure, the disposable cover being comprised of a flexible, stretchable and transparent material for conforming to the shape of the remote control device and being impregnated with an anti-bacterial compound for providing a disposable, protective sanitation barrier to human infection, the disposable cover being refitted regularly to minimize the transfer of bacteria and viruses from a previous user to a subsequent user of the remote control device.